The $700 Million Upgrade Finally Complete: Grand Central Subway Station Revamped After Five Years of Construction
The highly anticipated renovation of three subway stations below 42nd Street has finally come to an end after five long years, marking a major milestone for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA). The ambitious project, dubbed the 42nd Street Connection, aimed to revamp the Times Square, Bryant Park, and Grand Central stations with new infrastructure, including staircases, escalators, elevators, and other much-needed improvements.
According to MTA officials, the completed work has transformed the Grand Central station into a modern and efficient hub, with 30 newly installed turnstiles, 38 widened or new staircases, and ten replaced escalators and elevators. The upgrade also includes a wider mezzanine floor, where passengers can now pass through turnstiles before reaching platforms for trains operated by the 4, 5, 6, and 7 lines.
The construction process, however, was plagued by delays, and at one point, MTA officials acknowledged that riders were "burned" by frequent shutdowns and blue plywood barriers blocking platform access. To address these issues, the agency brought together a single management team to oversee the project with two top contractors.
According to Chair Janno Lieber, the completed work marks a significant improvement for station passengers. "We heard from lots of riders that they were frustrated with so much blue plywood up, they had no sense of the schedule," Lieber said. "The project seemed to stop and start in a coordinated manner. We brought them all together under a single management operation."
The $700 million upgrade is part of the MTA's five-year construction plan, which allocates nearly two-thirds of its budget to similar repairs aimed at maintaining the agency's 100-year-old infrastructure.
The next phase of this massive overhaul will focus on upgrading substations that power train lines and rehabilitating steel beams used on elevated lines. In addition, the MTA has announced plans to award a contract for four new elevators at the Bryant Park station by year-end, ensuring that the station becomes fully accessible to all passengers.
For now, commuters can breathe a sigh of relief knowing that Grand Central's platform congestion and disorganization have finally come to an end.
The highly anticipated renovation of three subway stations below 42nd Street has finally come to an end after five long years, marking a major milestone for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA). The ambitious project, dubbed the 42nd Street Connection, aimed to revamp the Times Square, Bryant Park, and Grand Central stations with new infrastructure, including staircases, escalators, elevators, and other much-needed improvements.
According to MTA officials, the completed work has transformed the Grand Central station into a modern and efficient hub, with 30 newly installed turnstiles, 38 widened or new staircases, and ten replaced escalators and elevators. The upgrade also includes a wider mezzanine floor, where passengers can now pass through turnstiles before reaching platforms for trains operated by the 4, 5, 6, and 7 lines.
The construction process, however, was plagued by delays, and at one point, MTA officials acknowledged that riders were "burned" by frequent shutdowns and blue plywood barriers blocking platform access. To address these issues, the agency brought together a single management team to oversee the project with two top contractors.
According to Chair Janno Lieber, the completed work marks a significant improvement for station passengers. "We heard from lots of riders that they were frustrated with so much blue plywood up, they had no sense of the schedule," Lieber said. "The project seemed to stop and start in a coordinated manner. We brought them all together under a single management operation."
The $700 million upgrade is part of the MTA's five-year construction plan, which allocates nearly two-thirds of its budget to similar repairs aimed at maintaining the agency's 100-year-old infrastructure.
The next phase of this massive overhaul will focus on upgrading substations that power train lines and rehabilitating steel beams used on elevated lines. In addition, the MTA has announced plans to award a contract for four new elevators at the Bryant Park station by year-end, ensuring that the station becomes fully accessible to all passengers.
For now, commuters can breathe a sigh of relief knowing that Grand Central's platform congestion and disorganization have finally come to an end.
I'm glad they finally finished this massive upgrade at Grand Central! 
It's crazy how the construction process was so slow, but it looks like it was worth it in the end. The new infrastructure is gonna make such a big difference for passengers - no more being stuck behind plywood barriers! 
And yay for improved accessibility with those new elevators at Bryant Park! 
Hopefully they can stay on track (no pun intended) and finish the rest of their plan without too many more delays 
. The MTA's doing its best to address the aging infrastructure, so let's just hope it pays off in the long run 
I mean five years is a looong time but its def worth it. the new turnstiles are so much easier to use now and the mezzanine floor is huge lol I remember when you had to wait in line for ages just to get on the train. and the best part is that all the blue plywood barriers are gone, finally can we have some consistency around here? 
! I mean, $700 million is a lotta dough 
but it was worth it to see Grand Central transformed into a modern hub. The new turnstiles are a game changer 
and the wider mezzanine floor is gonna make rush hour way less crazy 
. But seriously, it's about time someone did something about those blue plywood barriers 
. I'm glad they brought in a single management team to oversee the project - that made all the difference. Now let's hope the next phase of upgrades doesn't hit us with more delays... fingers crossed 
. The new turnstiles and wider mezzanine floor are gonna make a huge difference in reducing congestion during rush hour 
. I'm stoked that MTA officials listened to riders' feedback and brought all contractors under one roof 
. This upgrade is definitely a step in the right direction for maintaining our 100-year-old infrastructure 
The MTA's been working on this project for ages but it's clear they've learned from their mistakes and are getting it together now. Now let's hope the rest of the city's stations get the same TLC 
I'm not sure if 5 years is really enough time to get it done, you feel? $700 million is a lot of cash, but the MTA was saying they'd fix it all in one big swoop... seems like a lot of people got burned by the plywood barriers and delays. 
. Now that they've fixed the platform congestion and stuff, riders won't have to deal with those annoying blue plywood barriers anymore 
. Plus, the new elevators and escalators are gonna be a game-changer for people with mobility issues 
.